Faucet.



PATENTED DBG. 15; 1903.

` J. TQTHAM, DEGD.

E. 'ro'rmu a; o. r. Mmmm, summons.

:FAUGET. No MBEL' AHLIGATION FILED JULY 21, 1903.

UNITED STATES Patented ecember 15, 1903.-

PATENT OFFICE.

EUGENIA TOTHAM AND CHARLES FMERWIN, OF NEW HAVEN, CONNECTI- CUT, EXECUTORS OF JAMES TOTHAM, DECEASED, ASSIGNORS TO THE PECK BROS. dt CO., OF NEW HAVEN, CONNECTICUT, A CORPORATION.

FAUCE/T.

PECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 746,762, dated December 15,1903. Application led July 27, 1903i Serial No. 167,124. KNO model.)

To all whom. t may concern:

Beit known that JAMES TOTHAM, deceased, late of New Haven, in the county `of. New Haven and State of Connecticut,` did invent 5 a new and useful .Improvement in Faucets; and it is'hereby declared that the following, when 'taken in connection with the accom' panying drawings and the letters of reference marked thereon, is a full, clear, and exio act description of the same, and which said drawings constitute part of this specification, and represent, in-

Figure l, a view, partly in vertical longitudinal section and partlyin elevation, of one 15 form which a faucet constructed ,in accord-- ance with this invention may assume, the valve being shown in its closed position; Fig. 2, a corresponding View showing ,the valve in its open position; Fig. 3, a View in longitudinal horizontal section on the line A B of Fig. I; Fig. 4, a detached view, in side elevation, of the valve; -Fig.5,a view thereof in end elevation; Fig. 6, a detached view, in side elevation, of the valve-stem stripped; Fig. 7, a view of the valve-stem in transverse' section on the line c d of the preceding figure and looking in the direction of the arrow e.

This invention relates to an improvement in that class of faucets known to the trade as Fuller faucets and comprisingbib-cocks, basin-cocks, bath-cocks, stop-cocks, (itc. It may here be stated thatthe name Fuller has long beenV used in the'trade to designate a construction of faucets first shown and desecriloed in United States Patent No. 25,253, granted August 30, 1859, to A. Fuller.

The object of this invention is to produce a faucet of the Fuller type constructed with particular reference to avoiding, without the use of additional parts, any rattling of the' valve proper, as well as the pounding or shock resulting from closing the faucet suddenly, especially when the same is under considerable pressure of water.'-A

With these ends in View the `invention consists in a faucet having certain details of construction and combinations of` parts, as will be hereinafter described, and pointed out in the claim.

'peuter end of the valve-stem` 6 for retaining vthe valve thereon.

For the purpose of illustrating the invention'it is shown as applied to a bib-cock; but it will be understood .that it is equally applicableto all kinds of faucets constructed and operating on the principle of the Fuller 55 cock. y

In carrying out the'invention ask herein shown a yielding valve 2 is employed, made cylindrical in cross-section and having its outer end formed with a bevel 3 for the re- 6o ceptionof a conical sheet-metal cap 4, which V,en acconnt of its conical form spreads the water in the cock and which also constitutes a seat for the nut 5, applied to the threaded The valve 2 is spoken of as a yielding valve, and it will be made 'of rubber or of some composition containingA `rubber or equivalent material. The forward end of the said valve A2 is formed with a rounded surface 2a, adapted to coact with a beveled annular valve-seat 8, formed within ythe outer end of the integral sleeve 9 of the faucet-bodyl0,the said sleeve bein gexternally threaded to adapt it to be screwed into the shank ll of the faucet and `forming a cylindrical guide-chamber 9a, which extends inward into the said body. The forward end of the valve 2 is also formed with an integral hub 12, considerably smaller in external diameter than the diameter thereof, furnished l*upon its outer surface with four integral guide-ribs 13, arranged` quartering with respect to each other and extending nearly, but not quite, into the plane of the periphery of the val ve,into the face of which, so to speak, they merge at one end. As these ribs 19 are formed integral with the hub 12, which is v formed integral with the yielding valve 2, the ribs, as well as the hubs, are yielding,as well the valve. The invention is not limited to the use of four of these ribs,-as the number l"might be varied, so long as there is a plurality of them. These ribs are adapted in lateral extension to fit closely within the guide- 95 chamber 9' and they are proportioned in length to the throw of the valve, so that when the valve is fully open, as shown in Fig. 2, their extreme ends will still be within the said chamber, and hence within the said sleeve. roo

On account of this construction the ribs prevent the valve from rattling during any portion of its movement in either direction. Although these ribs lit snugly within the sleeve 9, as already described, they yield sufficiently not to interfere with the slight sidewise motion or thrustimposed upon the valve by the eccentric-pin 14, which passes through the eye 15, formed at the forward end of the valve-stem 6, and which is itself located at the lower end of the eccentric-spindle 16, to which the faucet-handle 17, mounted in the body 10, is secured. In order, however, to prevent the ribs from being too much compressed and strained and perhaps broken down at their free forward ends, they are abutted against an annular flange-like abutment-face 18, smaller in diameterthan an imaginary circle described upon their outer edges. This abutment-face is formed upon the valve-stem 6 and merges into the inner face of two integral guide-lugs 19, located opposite each other thereupon. Instead of forming the valve-stem with an integnal abutment-face 18 I might employ an independently-formed washer and mount it upon the stem in the same position. These lugs 19 have a little less lateral extension from the longitudinal axis of the stem 6 than the guide-ribs 13, already described, and under normal conditions will not make contact with the interior walls of the chamber 9a; but they are presentand always ready to engage with the said walls and prevent the ribs from being compressed too much. In this way the said lugs coact with the ribs to prevent the same from wearing too fast or being broken down and supplement the action thereof. At

the same time the lugs 19 do not interfere with the free passage of water from the shank 11 forward into the faucet-body 10, nor` do the guide-ribs 13 prevent the water from iiowing freely through the faucet. However, the hub 12 and the guide-ribs 13 cause the water to be cut o gradually in closing the faucet, and so preventany pounding or shock when the valve is closed suddenly. This is very apt to occur when the faucet is operated under a considerable pressure of water and is commonly spoken of as a water-hammer. In this connection it may be said that faucets of the Fuller type have always beenopen to this objection-namely, of pounding on being suddenly closed-and it is one of the main objects of this improved construction to obviate that particular fault in faucets of this type. Under this construction the water which passes through the valve is reduced in amount progressively, starting from the full-open position of the valve until the seating-bevel 7 of the valve is brought to a rm bearing upon the valve-seat 8. This must be so, because the space between the seating-bevel 7 and the seat 8 is grad ually closed as the valve moves from its full-open into its full-closed position,

wand at no time until the valve is fully closed is the passage of water through the faucet entirely cut off. The fact is to be emphasized that on account of the use of the guideribs 13 and on account of the fact that they are never entirely clear from the stem 9 of the body 10 of the faucet the valve is held perfectly steady and firm during the entire closing movement of the valve.

It is unnecessary to describe the other details of the faucet, as they are known and do not relate to this invention, which, as has already been said, may be applied to all kinds of faucets of the Fuller type, as well as to the bib-cock faucet herein shown andv described.

Asalready fully indicated, it is known that faucets of the general construction shown and described are not new and also that faucets provided with valves having extensions designed to gradually cut off the water are old.

Having fully described the invention, what is claimed as new, and desired to be secured by Letters Patent, isv In a faucet of the Fuller type, the combination with a body having an annular valveseat and a cylindrical guide-chamber leading inwardly therefrom, of an eccentric-spindle Amounted in the said body, a valve-stern connected with the inter end of the said spindle and provided with one or more bearings for engagement with the walls of the guide-charnber, a valve formed with a surface for coaction with the said valve-seat, and also formed with an integral hub extending into the said guide-chamber and provided with/a plurality of longitudinally-arranged guideribs merging into the face of the valve and adapted in their longitudinal extension to bear upon the walls of the said chamber, and made long enough with relation to the throw ot' the valvestem not to clear the said chamber when the Valve is in its full-open position, and means located upon the valve-stem for backing up the free ends of the said ribs which are prevented from being unduly compressed by the said bearing upon the stem.

In testimony whereof we have signed this specification in the presence of two subscribing witnesses.

EUGENIA TOTHAM, CHAS. F. MERVIN, Executors of the estate of James Totham, de-

ceased.

Witnesses:

FREDERIC O. EARLE, CLARA L. WEED.

IOO 

